The heart is a lifelong friend that can guarantee a long life. Treat it well, today and ever after

Dr K Srinath Reddy

The World Heart Day this year comes a week after the first anniversary of the historic United Nations High Level Meeting (UNHLM) which declared that a strong global response is needed to counter the menace of non-communicable diseases. This group includes cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. Of these, cardiovascular diseases lead the list as the No.1 global killer, claiming over 17 million lives each year. Heart attacks (due to coronary heart disease) and strokes, both result from blood vessel diseases and are the major causes of cardiovascular death. In India, cardiovascular diseases account for about 30 per cent of all deaths. In rural areas, high blood pressure, stroke and coronary heart disease are becoming frequent. According to a recent study, lower-income class, living in Delhi and Bangalore, have been found to be at a greater risk of having a heart attack. The average age at first heart attack in India is a decade earlier than in western countries. About 40 per cent of cardiovascular deaths in India occur below 64 years, resulting in catastrophic consequences for the affected families and major productivity loss for the country. Chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes are responsible for a majority of the heart attacks which occur at a young age. Not only the active smokers are at risk, but passive smokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke from others too are in danger of having a heart attack. High blood pressure is also the most important risk factor for stroke and also increases the risk of heart attacks. Diabetes too is one of the factors and is mainly a cause of heart attacks in Indians. A food high in salt, sugar, saturated fat and transfat and low in fruit and vegetables increase the risk of high BP and diabetes. Furthermore, undesirable blood fat levels lead to fat build up in the arteries and cause heart attacks. High levels of 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol and low levels of 'good' (HDL) cholesterol are responsible, along with high triglyceride levels which usually suggest existing diabetes or a likelihood of developing diabetes. These levels are altered by diet, exercise, smoking and stress. Other risk factors which are important in the Indian context include low birth weight, which can increase the risk of high BP, diabetes and heart attacks in adult life, and abdominal obesity (bulging belly fat). The good news, however, is that much of cardiovascular disease can be prevented. Evidence from many countries, including India, shows that adoption of healthy living habits is very protective. Those who have high blood pressure, cholesterol or sugar should be treated effectively, with drugs, supplementing diet and exercise. Those who have already experienced a heart attack or a stroke can be protected from a recurrent attack by medicines. Heart disease and strokes are preventable problems which we can avoid. This requires healthy living habits to be adopted by all members of a family, because prevention starts very early in life and extends up to the very elderly. The World Heart Day is a good day to remind all other members of the family that the hearts that care, need care too. TO AVOID CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES Stay away from tobacco and cigarettes In diet, beware of the 3-S threat (Salt, Sugar, Saturated fat) and follow the 3-F formula (Fibre, Fruit, Fish). Do regular exercises; go for brisk walking for not less than 30 minutes or preferably 60mts per day. (The writer is a President of the Public Health Foundation of India. He has also been elected as the President of World Heart Federation (WHF) for the period 2013 to 2015)